The present invention relates generally to ice makers.
Ice makers, particularly those used in homes and small businesses are well known and employ a refrigeration system to chill an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of water. Such refrigeration systems typically include a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser all connected by refrigerant lines. The ice forming surface is thermally connected to the evaporator and is chilled to a temperature below the freezing temperature of water, then a supply of water is dispensed onto this surface and allowed to freeze. In some systems, the water is dispensed onto the surface and all of the dispensed water is held there until it has frozen into ice. In other systems, the water flows over the chilled surface and some turns to ice and the remainder is collected and recirculated. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,595 which was assigned to the assignee hereof, and which is incorporated herein by reference.
A problem that develops with ice makers is that minerals in the water, and particularly calcium, form deposits on the ice forming surface, decreasing the thermal transfer effectiveness of the ice forming surface, thereby decreasing the effectiveness and energy efficiency of the ice maker. This requires the ice forming surface to be cleaned on a regular basis to remove these deposits.
It is known, in various types of water supply systems, to use a magnetic device in association with a water feed line, to reduce scale deposits.
The invention provides a system in an ice maker of the recirculating type for reducing the scale forming minerals by utilizing a magnetic device in association with the recirculating passage for the water. Unlike other systems where the magnetic device is used in association with the water inlet line, use of the magnetic device in association with the recirculating passage allows for multiple treatment occurrences on any given volume of water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the treatment.
In an embodiment of the invention, an ice maker is provided comprising a refrigeration system for cooling an ice forming surface below the freezing temperature of water. The ice maker further includes a water supply inlet, a water collecting device connected to receive a supply of water from the water supply inlet and arranged to receive a flow of water from the ice forming surface, a recirculating pump having an inlet connected to the water collecting device, a recirculating passage connected at a first end to an outlet of the recirculating pump and arranged to direct water toward the ice making surface, and a magnetic field generating device positioned along a length of the recirculating passage.
In an embodiment of the invention, an ice maker is provided comprising a cabinet, a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator in the cabinet, along with a series of refrigerant lines connecting the compressor to the evaporator, the evaporator to the condenser and the condenser to the compressor. An evaporator plate is thermally connected to the evaporator. A water supply line is connected to deliver water to a water reservoir and the water reservoir is arranged to receive a flow of water from the evaporator plate. A water distributor is positioned to deliver a supply of water to the evaporator plate. A recirculating pump has an inlet connected to the water reservoir and an outlet connected to a recirculating tube. The recirculating tube is connected to the water distributor. A magnetic field generating device is positioned along a length of the recirculating tube.
In an embodiment of the invention, an ice maker is provided comprising a cabinet, a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator in the cabinet. A series of refrigerant lines connect the compressor to the evaporator, the evaporator to the condenser and the condenser to the compressor. The evaporator has an ice forming surface thermally associated therewith. A water supply line is connected to deliver water to a water collecting device and the water collecting device is also arranged to receive a flow of water from the ice forming surface. A recirculating pump has an inlet connected to the water collecting device and a recirculating tube is connected at a first end to an outlet of the recirculating pump and is arranged to distribute water at a second end to the ice making surface. A magnetic field generating device is positioned along a length of the recirculating tube.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the detailed description and a review of the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are described herein. The present invention is not intended to be limited to only these embodiments. Changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments and yet fall within the scope of the present invention.